Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant: Thoracic Surgery

Job Details

Advanced Practice Provider (NP/PA) – Thoracic Surgery

Catholic Health | Long Island, New York

Position: Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant – Thoracic SurgerySchedule: Full-Time | Varied Shifts (Days, Evenings, Weekends, and Holiday Rotations)Coverage: System-Wide Thoracic Surgery Services

Position Overview

Catholic Health is seeking an experienced and motivated Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA) to join our growing Thoracic Surgery department, providing comprehensive patient care across multiple Catholic Health facilities on Long Island.

The Advanced Practice Provider will collaborate closely with thoracic surgeons, fellow APPs, and multidisciplinary teams to support inpatient, outpatient, and perioperative thoracic surgery services throughout the health system.

Physician Assistants will have opportunities to participate in operating room procedures, including surgical first-assist responsibilities. Nurse Practitioners will focus on clinical patient management across inpatient and ambulatory settings, without required operating room coverage.

The ideal candidate will have experience in surgical or acute care settings, strong clinical judgment, and the flexibility to support a growing, system-wide Thoracic Surgery program.

Key Responsibilities

Inpatient & Postoperative Management – NP/PA

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and participate in daily rounds for hospitalized thoracic surgery patients.
• Obtain medical histories, conduct physical examinations, and develop individualized treatment plans in collaboration with thoracic surgeons.
• Provide preoperative and postoperative management for patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures.
• Monitor patients for postoperative complications, including respiratory distress, bleeding, infection, and other changes in clinical status.
• Order, review, and interpret laboratory studies, diagnostic imaging, and other clinical findings within the APP's scope of practice.
• Manage postoperative pain, fluid and electrolyte balance, respiratory status, nutrition, and routine surgical recovery.
• Assess and manage surgical wounds, drains, and chest tubes.
• Perform approved bedside procedures following appropriate training, competency validation, and hospital privileging.
• Coordinate care with consulting physicians, nursing, respiratory therapy, rehabilitation services, and case management.
• Facilitate discharge planning, medication reconciliation, patient education, and follow-up arrangements.

Operating Room & Surgical First Assist – Physician Assistants Only

Physician Assistants will provide operating room coverage based on surgical schedules, departmental needs, and approved clinical privileges.

Responsibilities may include:

• Provide first-assist support during thoracic surgical procedures.
• Assist with surgical exposure, tissue handling, hemostasis, suturing, and wound closure.
• Review patient histories, imaging, laboratory findings, and operative plans in preparation for surgery.
• Participate in preoperative evaluations and surgical planning.
• Maintain familiarity with thoracic surgical anatomy, instrumentation, and perioperative protocols.
• Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, nursing staff, and other operating room personnel.
• Support urgent and emergent thoracic surgical procedures as needed.

Operating room participation and surgical first-assist responsibilities are specific to the Physician Assistant role and are not required for Nurse Practitioners.

Ambulatory Thoracic Surgery Services – NP/PA

• Conduct outpatient evaluations for new and established thoracic surgery patients.
• Participate in preoperative assessments and surgical preparation.
• Provide postoperative follow-up care, including wound assessments and monitoring of recovery.
• Review diagnostic imaging, laboratory results, and other clinical findings.
• Address patient concerns, medication questions, test results, and ongoing clinical needs.
• Coordinate diagnostic testing, specialty referrals, and treatment plans.
• Educate patients and families regarding surgical procedures, recovery expectations, and postoperative care.
• Facilitate continuity of care between outpatient practices and hospital-based services.

System-Wide Thoracic Surgery Coverage – NP/PA

• Provide clinical support across Catholic Health hospitals and affiliated ambulatory practices.
• Travel between designated facilities based on departmental staffing and patient care needs.
• Collaborate with thoracic surgeons and APP colleagues to ensure appropriate patient coverage.
• Support continuity of care for patients receiving services at multiple Catholic Health locations.
• Assist with coverage needs related to inpatient census, outpatient volume, and departmental expansion.
• Participate in weekend, holiday, and call rotations as required.
• Adapt to evolving responsibilities as the system-wide Thoracic Surgery program continues to grow.

PA assignments may include operating room coverage in addition to inpatient and outpatient responsibilities. NP assignments will focus on inpatient and ambulatory clinical care.

Thoracic Surgical Patient Management – NP/PA

• Provide comprehensive care throughout the preoperative and postoperative periods.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to complications following thoracic surgery.
• Evaluate and manage postoperative respiratory complications in collaboration with the surgical team.
• Monitor chest tube output, air leaks, drainage, and other postoperative findings.
• Communicate changes in patient condition promptly to the appropriate thoracic surgeon.
• Coordinate transitions between hospital-based and ambulatory services.

Clinical Collaboration & Program Development

• Collaborate with thoracic surgeons, APPs, intensivists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists, and other healthcare professionals.
• Participate in multidisciplinary rounds, case discussions, and care coordination.
• Serve as a clinical resource to nursing staff and other members of the healthcare team.
• Support quality improvement initiatives, clinical protocols, and patient safety efforts.
• Contribute to the continued growth and development of Thoracic Surgery services across Catholic Health.
• Participate in clinical education, professional development, and evidence-based practice initiatives.

Procedural Responsibilities

Following appropriate training, competency validation, and hospital privileging, APPs may perform approved bedside procedures consistent with their professional scope of practice, including:

• Chest tube management and removal.
• Surgical drain removal.
• Wound assessments and management.
• Other approved diagnostic or therapeutic bedside procedures.

Additional Physician Assistant responsibilities may include:

• Operating room surgical first assistance.
• Suturing and surgical wound closure.
• Chest tube placement.
• Central venous catheter and arterial line placement.
• Other approved surgical procedures consistent with clinical privileges.

Procedural assignments will depend on demonstrated competency, professional scope of practice, and departmental requirements.

Qualifications

Education, Licensure & Certification

Nurse Practitioner:

• Graduate of an accredited Nurse Practitioner program; Master's degree required.
• Current New York State Nurse Practitioner license and registration.
• Current national board certification appropriate to the clinical role.
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification preferred for inpatient responsibilities.
• Current BLS and ACLS certification.

Physician Assistant:

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Current New York State Physician Assistant license and registration.
• Current NCCPA certification.
• Current BLS and ACLS certification.

Additional Requirements:

• DEA registration as required for assigned responsibilities.
• Eligibility for medical staff appointment and clinical privileges at applicable Catholic Health facilities.
• Ability to practice in accordance with New York State requirements and Catholic Health policies.

Experience

• Previous experience in thoracic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, general surgery, surgical critical care, or another relevant surgical specialty preferred.
• Experience managing hospitalized and postoperative surgical patients strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with chest tube management, surgical drains, respiratory complications, and surgical wound care.
• Experience in inpatient and outpatient clinical settings preferred.
• For Physician Assistants: Operating room first-assist experience preferred.
• For Nurse Practitioners: Experience in inpatient surgical or acute care patient management preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong clinical assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and patient management skills.
• Knowledge of thoracic surgical procedures and postoperative recovery.
• Ability to recognize clinical deterioration and initiate appropriate interventions.
• Excellent communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage competing clinical priorities across multiple settings.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Flexibility to travel between Catholic Health facilities.
• Proficiency in electronic health records and clinical documentation.

Schedule & Work Locations

Employment Status: Full-TimeSchedule: Varied, based on departmental needs, including AM/PM shifts, weekends, holidays, and call rotations as assigned.

The position supports both ambulatory and hospital-based Thoracic Surgery services throughout Catholic Health's Long Island network.

• Physician Assistants: Assignments may include operating room first-assist coverage, inpatient rounds, postoperative management, and outpatient services.
• Nurse Practitioners: Assignments will focus on inpatient management, postoperative care, outpatient evaluations, and continuity of care, without operating room first-assist responsibilities.

Specific work locations, schedules, and coverage assignments will be determined by departmental needs.

Professional Development

Catholic Health is committed to supporting the continued professional growth of its Advanced Practice Providers.

APPs will have opportunities to develop specialized expertise in thoracic surgery through collaboration with experienced surgeons and multidisciplinary clinical teams.

As the department continues to expand, responsibilities may evolve to support additional clinical services, education, quality improvement, and program development.

Scope of Practice

All Advanced Practice Providers will practice in accordance with New York State licensure requirements, applicable professional practice arrangements, demonstrated competency, and hospital-approved clinical privileges.

Physician Assistants may participate in operating room first-assist responsibilities as authorized by their training and privileges. Nurse Practitioners will provide inpatient, outpatient, and perioperative clinical management without assigned operating room responsibilities.

This position supports the Thoracic Surgery department as a whole and is intended to provide system-wide clinical coverage rather than being assigned exclusively to one physician or hospital.

Posted Salary Range

USD $77.11 - USD $100.00 /Hr.

Compensation: 77.11 to 100 (USD)